


"You better leave now" - supercorp

by luversd



Series: Fictober 2020 [10]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alex Danvers & Kara Danvers Sibling Feels, Concussions, First Meetings, Flirting, Friendship, Fundraisers, Interviews, Lena Luthor Doesn't Know Kara Danvers is Supergirl, Lena Luthor Gets a Hug, Project Cadmus, Protective Kara Danvers, a random dude hits on Lena and he won't leave, until kara shows up
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:27:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26942134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luversd/pseuds/luversd
Summary: Kara saves Lena from unwanted male attention, and then proceeds with flirting with her herself except this time Lena doesn't mind it at all.
Relationships: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor
Series: Fictober 2020 [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1949590
Comments: 56
Kudos: 697





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: a guy hits on Lena and he's persistent (but there's no touching/nothing happens).  
> Not sure if it's necessary but better be safe than sorry.  
> All mistakes are mine. Enjoy!
> 
> Edit: Holy shit, you guys (girls, people, aliens?) are so amazing?? Thank you so much for your kind words and the kudos. This was meant as a one shot but since you're all thirsty for more, I'll turn this into a multi-chapter story. I make no promises about the length because honestly, I still have to see where this story takes me/us. Fair warning though, I'm planning on finishing this series first before starting other projects so I hope you don't mind waiting a bit. Much love x

CatCo Worldwide Media was a media conglomerate known for its mostly objective reporting of the truth, its fashion tips and its affiliation with Supergirl. It was a household name in National City, therefore it was no surprise when a forwarded invitation to a fundraising gala landed in Kara Danvers's mailbox. Still, the reporter frowned at the invite. It wasn't unusual for CatCo to receive invitations to this sort of events, however her boss didn't send a reporter in unless there was an actual story to report - God forbid an employee should have too much fun doing their job. The short sentence summoning her to her boss's office was as friendly as it was long - bordering on rude and four words long. Kara had gotten so used to the lack of 'please, thank you and sorry's her brain didn't even register the incivility. She quickly grabbed her notepad and a pen before heading to Snapper Carr's office, where she knew he would be counting the seconds she had made him wait and considering deducting that number from her salary. 

She knocked on the glass door and stepped inside before the man even looked up from his desk. 'You wanted to see me?'

'You're three minutes late,' he notified flatly. 'Do you know Lena Luthor?' He didn't wait for her reply before carrying on. 'I just heard she'll be going to that gala tonight. I need you to make contact so CatCo will be her go-to media outlet in the future.'

'The gala's tonight?' 

Kara didn't know it was even possible, but Snapper's frown deepened. 'Did you not read the invite? Or did you perhaps lose your sense of time?'

'But I have-'

'Ponytail,' the man interrupted with a bored tone. 'Does it look like I care about what you did or didn't have planned tonight?'

The blonde shut her mouth. The answer to that question was obvious. 'Lena Luthor? What is she doing in National City?' She asked instead.

'She moved here a couple of days ago,' Snapper informed, his attention already moving on to the case file in front of him. 

The nonverbal cues indicating his disinterest were hard to miss, and Kara knew this was the furthest he was willing to discuss the topic. It seemed that she was in for an afternoon of Internet-stalking. 'What about the gala?' She questioned.

'What about it?'

'Did you want me to write an article about that?'

'I did hire a reporter, did I not?' The editor-in-chief checked. At the blonde's silence, he looked up and sighed. 'Write about those rich people's outfits, write a fluff piece, I don't care, but you can't attend an event like this as the media and not write anything about it. Now, go back to work and leave me alone, unless you also need my help to pick out a dress for tonight?'

Although she was curious about what a shopping spree with her boss would look like, she answered, 'no. I think I've got that covered.' She stood there awkwardly for a minute and when Snapper didn't offer a response, she took the dismissal for what it was and walked back to her own office. She notified her cousin about her meeting with the Luthor to which she received a 'be careful' and 'good luck' before texting her sister to stop by her apartment later in the day to help her with her outfit. She opened her laptop and her fingers hovered over the keyboard before she typed in 'Lena Luthor' and began her research.

* 

Lena Luthor should've known a gala wasn't the best place to make friends. To her defence, most people wouldn't touch her with a ten-foot pole after her brother went mad, so she was a little rusty. Still, she had hoped at least one of the white, self-righteous millionaires would prove to be an ally but so far, she had no such luck. In fact, considering the night she was having, it would be more accurate to say she had absolutely no luck at all. While polite, the other guests had quickly shown their wariness towards the Luthor and even though the host was grateful for her money, he wasn't feeling thankful enough to have a conversation with her that went further than 'thank you for the donation' and 'with pleasure, thank you for the invitation'. So, Lena wasn't having a good time and she would've already gone home to her cold, empty apartment if it hadn't been for the fact that it was way too early to leave. However, her current conversation partner was making her rethink her decision. Neal Davis was a young businessman; good-looking and slightly drunk, Lena might've even considered him a noteworthy, potential candidate if he had kept his mouth shut. Now, she was trapped in the company of a man she didn't know who was making overt sexual advances and misinterpreting her hard 'no' as a playing-hard-to-get 'yes'. If he noticed her growing unease, he didn't show it although the CEO had a feeling his narcissism and inebriated state were clouding his judgement.

'Come on, Lena. This is a charity event, so let me show you how much pleasure I can give you,' he flirted and a chill ran down Lena's spine at the implications of his words.

'Mr. Davis,' the Luthor addressed, hoping her voice wasn't shaking with fear like the rest of the body was. 'As I've said before, I'm not interested in having sex with you. If you would be willing to discuss your work on the other hand, then I'm sure we would both enjoy the conversation.'

'Don't play coy. I know you want me.'

Lena wasn't a violent person, but it took her a large amount of effortful control not to punch the man in the face. She was about to express her dissent once more but somebody else beat her to it. 'I believe she said no.'

The L-Corp CEO turned her gaze to the stranger and her eyes were met with a cascade of blond hair, a light pink embellished dress and a glare that could kill if it grew any more intense. 

Neal grinned at the addition. 'You're welcome to join us,' he spoke suggestively.

'I know this is hard for you to understand given that you didn't have the intellect to pass your classes without cheating and your parents had to pay for your diploma, but when a woman says 'no', it means she's rejecting you and she wants you to leave her the fuck alone, alright?' The blonde taught without an ounce of mercy. 

The young man faltered and the boyish smirk that had been present on his lips disappeared for a split second as he seemed to realise that part of his flawless plan to seduce the Luthor had gone wrong but he shook it off before his brain could process the social cues and smirked again. 'We were having fun,' he denied. 'Go bother someone else.' He made a move to grab Lena's arm but even his hurried movement couldn't compare to the Super's speedy reflexes. 

'What the hell?' He winced and looked down at the hand firmly latching onto his wrist.

Kara's voice was low and dangerous when she spoke. 'You better leave now.' 

Neal huffed angrily. 'Alright, fine. You crazy bitch.'

The blonde twisted his wrist. 'What was that?' 

'Nothing. I'm leaving.' 

Kara released her grip and the pair watched him walk away with his tail between his legs.

'Thank you,' Lena told the other woman gratefully as she faced her. 'I was running out of ways to tell him to fuck off politely. My next method would've involved less talking and more punching,' she admitted.

'Don't worry about it, he was being a jackass. I'm glad I stepped in before anything could happen. Did he hurt you?' Kara asked with concern.

'No,' the CEO reassured. 'Looks like you're - literally - my knight in shining armour,' she joked, referring to the sparkling sequin on her outfit. 

Kara chuckled and slightly dipped her head. 'My Lady.'

Lena laughed out loud for the first time in a long time and she hoped the dynamic with this beautiful stranger wasn't going to change after she revealed her name, but she knew not to have any expectations. 'Was it true what you said about him not actually getting his degree?' She wondered suddenly. 

The reporter nodded thoughtfully. 'It was a whole thing about how his parents had bribed the college into changing his grades so he could graduate with his friends without retaking some of his classes. I was still Cat's assistant at the time but I remember it being a big story for the magazine.'

'Cat?' The Luthor recognised. 'As in Cat Grant?'

Kara smiled brightly. 'Yes. Kara Danvers, CatCo Worldwide Media,' she introduced herself.

Lena hesitated. Moment of truth, she thought to herself. 'Lena Luthor, L-Corp.'

The Super's eyes widened. 'Luthor?' She didn't know why it hadn't occurred to her to look at a picture of the woman other than her Twitter profile picture during her extensive research a few hours earlier because the small image clearly didn't do her justice. With green eyes resembling Kryptonite, Kara knew the woman was going to have a similar effect on her.

The CEO pursed her lips. 'Sister of the crazy Superman hater, Lex Luthor? Yes.'

'Well, obviously,' Kara agreed. 'You look nothing like him, by the way. You're much more beautiful, it's hard to believe you share the same genes.'

Lena wasn't sure what threw her off more: how casually the reporter just complimented her or how easily she accepted that she was a Luthor without the pity and judgement it usually evoked. 'Um, thank you. He's my half-brother,' she offered as an explanation. 'Same father, different mother.' She frowned slightly. 'Do you know my brother?'

'Peripherally,' the blonde answered sheepishly. 'I followed the Superman v. Lex Luthor quite closely. His bald head appeared on my TV screen a lot.'

The businesswoman chuckled. 'Let's hope he inherited the baldness from Lillian and not our father.' 

'While I'm certain you can pull off a lot of looks, I can't quite picture you being hairless,' Kara teased.

Lena smiled at her. 'So, CatCo, huh? Are you collecting data for an article about the best and worst outfits of the night or is there something juicy going here?'

The reporter winced at the reminder of the article she was expected to write. 'The former, but my main task was to socialise with you,' she admitted. 'That's why your name sounded familiar.'

A tight-lipped smile graced the Luthor's red lips as her hopes came tumbling down. 'Looking for an exclusive, are we?' She asked with a raised eyebrow, it was meant as a tease but her heart wasn't in it. 

'No!' Kara almost yelled when she realised what must be going through the other woman's head. 'Well, that might be what he wants but I just wanted to get to know you. Everything I said, I meant it. I wasn't trying to butter you up or anything and I don't care about the exclusives and whatnots. Besides, reporting is about human connection and truth, not how well a story sells.' She knew she was rambling but she didn't know how to stop. 'I'll admit I did a bit of Internet-stalking before coming here, and I've read all these incredible things about you. I was really curious to meet you.'

Lena couldn't help the amusement on her face. 'Internet-stalking?'

The Super looked horrified. 'Did I say that? I meant research of course. I did some research. About you. On the internet.'

'Are you always this wordy?' The green eyed woman sounded almost endeared so Kara took it as a good sign. 

'Only when I'm nervous,' she promised.

Lena's polite manners were telling her to change the subject and ease the blonde's nerves but she had never met anyone as honest as her and she couldn't bring herself to do it. 'You're nervous?'

'Well, yeah,' Kara answered as if that was a given. 

'Why?'

She furrowed her brows and tried to rearrange her thoughts in a more orderly manner. 'Because you're Lena Luthor, a CEO, an engineer, a philanthropist, and a billionaire. You're a brilliant person with a bigger heart than anyone I've met tonight and you're incredibly attractive.'

Lena tilted her head curiously. 'Am I intimidating you?' 

'I'm intimidated,' Kara corrected. 'But in a good way.'

Sensing her desire to talk about something - anything - else, the Luthor mercifully returned to their previous topic. 'Did you find anything on the Internet that piqued your interest?'

Blue eyes lit up with excitement. 'Actually, I did. I read your paper about the utilisation of nanotechnology in cancer treatments and I had some questions if you don't mind talking about it?'

Lena looked positively impressed. 'I thought you were a reporter?'

'I am,' Kara assured. 'Both my biological and adoptive father were scientists, and my adoptive mother and sister are bio-engineers,' she explained. 'I always enjoyed science and I was lucky enough to grow up in an environment that fostered that desire for knowledge so I like delving into the nerdy stuff from time to time.'

'You're adopted?'

The blonde grinned at her selective attention. 'Yes, but that's a story for another time.'

It warmed Lena's heart that Kara believed there would be another time. Maybe her quest for friendship hadn't been fruitless after all. She returned the enthusiastic expression and raised an eyebrow. 'Alright, Miss Danvers. Show me your nerdy side.'


	2. Afterglow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bantering with Lena leads to a sleepless night for Kara (due to gay feels) which leads to needing some advice from love doctor Alex Danvers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANK YOU FOR BEING SO PATIENT! 
> 
> Title from 'Afterglow' by Ed Sheeran.  
> All mistakes are mine. Enjoy x

'How soon is too soon to leave a gala?' Kara wondered out loud, her blue eyes darting around the room before they landed on the woman next to her.

'Time slows down at these kinds of events. If you feel like you're going to die of boredom, then that means you still have a couple more hours left until it's appropriate to leave the party,' Lena informed regrettably.

The reporter grinned. 'You're the expert.'

'Unwillingly.'

She laughed. 'At least now you've got the social etiquette down to a T. The Queen of England could grant you an Audience tomorrow and you would be ready to go,' she teased.

'Her Majesty is the only reason I'm polishing up my people skills,' Lena concurred with a smirk.

'A valid and noble cause,' Kara answered approvingly.

'Somewhat ambitious for a Luthor,' the CEO mused. 'I should probably start small and see if I can somehow charm National City's sweetheart with my sparkling personality.'

The Super bit her lip in amusement. She had been called many things before, but 'small' was a new one. 'That's your definition of small?'

'Of course. I'm sure the damsel in distress air I seem to be emanating will win her over, never mind that my brother tried to kill her cousin,' Lena kidded.

'You'd be surprised. I heard she has quite the god complex. Letting her save you might be the best way to start a friendship with Supergirl,' Kara replied with a grin, poking fun at her alter ego in the process.

'You're assuming she'll come to my rescue,' the Luthor pointed out, a raised eyebrow expressing her doubt.

'She will,' the reporter assured certainly, her words almost sounding like a promise. 'What kind of superhero would she be if she didn't protect _everyone_ in this city?'

'I can think of a few million people who would argue that Luthors don't fall under the group of population worth saving,' Lena reminded. It was unlike her to play devil's advocate but their conversation was moving into uncharted territory. While it was nice - surreal - to have a single positive interaction that night, there was a reason why most people refused to even go near a Luthor. At this point she was waiting for the other shoe to drop and she would rather have it drop sooner than later to spare herself the disappointment.

Kara shrugged as if the opinion of a couple of million people meant nothing to her. 'At the end of the day, it's about truth, and the truth is, you're not your brother.'

Lena eyed the woman curiously. It was unnerving how easily the blonde seemed to be able to separate her from her brother's actions and see her as her own person. She had spent most of her adult life battling against the preconceived notion that she would end up like her family, and now here was a stranger giving her the chance to be herself. She shook her head in mild disbelief. 'You're something else, Miss Danvers.'

*  
Spending hours socialising with people you had nothing in common with and pretending to be interested in what they were saying, was mentally draining. By the time Kara's head hit her pillow, the reporter should have been ready to fall asleep, except the opposite was true. Meeting Lena was like a shot of caffeine and Kara was wide awake as the memories of the evening replayed in her mind like highlight reels: the grateful smile on the Luthor's face when she first laid her eyes on her, the laugh escaping her red lips when she managed to crack a funny joke, the goddamn smirk and raised eyebrow that still turned the blonde's insides into jelly despite them being blocks away in their own respective homes.

The more Kara thought about it, the more awake she became. She counted one thousand sheep before concluding that the supposedly sleep-inducing activity was unproductive. Jumping animals turned to pushups and burpees in the cramped space of her living room as the Kryptonian tried to tire herself out - her plan didn't work. Feeling more energised than before and fresh out of ideas, Kara crawled back into her bed, wishing that managing her sleep-wake cycle fell under one her superhuman abilities.

Whether it was the spontaneous workout or pure boredom that put her to sleep, Kara wasn't sure, but after four short hours, the morning sunlight was seeping through the curtain edges, awakening the Kryptonian. She felt far from rested but her drowsiness quickly dissipated as the events of the previous night trickled back into her conscious mind. With a smile on her face, Kara changed into her suit and took off for the clear orange-blue sky. Flying always provided her with a sense of peace and this morning was no different from the others. She watched with wonder as National City was slowly drawn out of its slumber and its inhabitants started their daily routines. Before long, the Super returned to her living quarters and changed into her Kara Danvers-outfit. The fresh dose of solar energy and oxygen was revitalising but there was one more thing Kara needed before she could start her workday - or well, two more things: food and good old sisterly advice.

Her teeth brushed, her hair tied up and her glasses resting on the bridge of her nose, Kara headed out to Noonan's and her sister's apartment. As she approached her final destination with breakfast in tow for two, she noticed the distinct lack of heartbeat in Alex's home. Knowing her, she had probably gone for a run - at the most inconvenient time there could be - so Kara let herself inside using the key she had received and tried to entertain herself as she waited for her sister to come back. With nothing else to do, she busied herself with the pleasant pastime of consuming sticky buns and her pumpkin spice latte with extra foam (sprinkled with cinnamon), turning their breakfast date into plain old breakfast. Once her hunger had been sated, she proceeded by lying down on the couch, staring up at the ceiling, contemplating the meaning of life for the full two minutes before her sister's keys turned in the lock.

Her presence had gone unnoticed and she watched as the DEO agent pulled her earbuds out of her ears, her face flushed and her heart rate still elevated.

'Do you believe in love at first sight?' She asked suddenly.

Alex nearly jumped out of her skin at the unexpected disturbance. 'Christ, warn a person! What are you doing here, Kara?'

'I needed to talk to you and you weren't home so I let myself in,' Kara replied defensively.

The DEO agent poured herself a glass of water and took a sip before saying, 'well, I stink so I'm going to take a shower. After that I'm all ears.'

Kara couldn't argue with that. 'Hurry.'

Alex gave her sister a dirty look on her way to the bathroom. 'Don't tell me what to do.' 

Ten minutes later, the older Danvers sibling emerged from the other room, looking positively refreshed as a trail of steam followed after her.

'I brought you a blueberry muffin and coffee,' the blonde told her. 'Although it's probably cold by now.'

Alex padded into the kitchen and poured the content of the takeaway cup into a mug before letting it warm up in the microwave. 'Thanks, Kara,' she spoke, popping a piece of blueberry muffin in her mouth seconds later. 'And no, I don't believe in love at first sight,' she said, remembering the first question that had been posed that morning. 

The timer went off and she grabbed her cup of coffee just as Kara sat up from her position on the couch. 'What about love at first conversation?'

'That is _not_ a thing,' Alex pointed out amusedly and placed her hand on the counter in front of her, an invitation for her sister to join her in the kitchen. 'What's on your mind?'

'I met someone last night,' the blonde confessed as she came closer and sat down on one of the stools.

Alex stopped chewing for a moment and she stared at her sister. 'You came here at,' she checked the clock hanging on the wall, '7:20 in the morning to talk about your _crush_?'

'Alex, I'm being serious,' Kara pouted.

'So am I,' the DEO agent assured, although the teasing smile on her lips seemed to indicate otherwise. 'Didn't you have that ball-thing last night?'

'Fundraising gala,' the reporter corrected. 'I did.'

The older woman's features morphed into a smirk. 'Did you meet a hotshot businessman with enough money to feed a Kryptonian without going bankrupt?'

'Something like that,' Kara concurred before clarifying,'I met a business _woman._ '

Brown eyes twinkled with excitement. 'Even better. What's her name?'

Crickets sounded. Alex frowned suspiciously while her sister purposefully avoided her gaze. 'Kara?'

The blonde bit her lip and answered, 'her name's Lena. Lena Luthor.'

Alex stared at her, trying to gauge whether she was kidding or not. Eventually, she shook her head in amusement and said, 'you sure know how to pick 'em, sis.'

'What's that supposed to mean?'

The older sibling almost laughed at the poorly concealed defensiveness in the Super's tone. 'I'm just saying your cousin probably won't be thrilled to hear that you got hitched to a Luthor.'

'No one said anything about marriage,' Kara replied hastily.

'I was kidding,' Alex said, muttering 'obviously' at the end of her sentence, which earned her a glare from her sister. 'Tell me more about the Luthor.'

Kara wasn't pleased with her referring to the CEO by her last name but at least she hadn't said it with a negative connotation. 'She's smart - a certified genius - she's funny and beautiful. She's guarded but she's a good conversationalist,' she remembered pensively.

'She's a Luthor and a CEO, Kara,' the DEO agent pointed out sceptically. 'It's her job to socialise with people and charm the media.'

It was a valid point. Nevertheless, Kara shook her head in the negative. 'I know, but it's more than that. The other guests I talked to were going on and on about their trips to Italy and wherever, and how much they liked to 'give back to society', and that's great. I'm glad they're using their money to support good causes, but they were so... superficial. It was as if they were doing it out of obligation or for credit, but with Lena, it wasn't about the money or the reputation. It was about genuinely helping the people in need, and that's something I can relate to as Supergirl _and_ as Kara Danvers. I looked her up before the gala,' she confessed, an eyebrow raising on her sister's face at the admission. 'And the more I read about her and the work she had done, the more certain I became that she was nothing like her brother. But a part of me still held onto those lingering doubts about her until we actually talked. Rao, that first conversation was everything, Alex. It could've started off better, but despite the grade A a-hole harassing her, we clicked. I've never felt this way about someone this fast and I don't know what to do.'

'First of all, take a breath,' Alex advised with a sympathetic smile. Kara did as told. 'It sounds like you had a good time with Lena last night and I'm glad you did. Just remember, it was _one_ night. I know it's exciting when you meet someone you really connect with, but don't rush it. Whether you're looking for a friendship or a romance, don't get ahead of yourself.'

Kara nodded slowly. 'Don't rush,' she repeated. She could do that. Besides, she hadn't gotten the businesswoman's number so there was actually nothing _to_ rush. She looked up at her sister with a raised eyebrow. 'What, no 'be careful, she's a Luthor'-speech?'

'I doubt that would be enough to keep you away from her,' Alex pointed out, a knowing smile on her lips. 'And you're the one who met her. It's not my place to pass judgement on her, especially since you know her better. I would ask you to be cautious but you're a grown woman, Kara. The last thing you need is my backseat driving.'

The Super grinned at her last words. It seemed that Alex had learned that she couldn't control her younger sibling the way she used to in their teenage years. 'Do you trust her?'

The answer was clear. 'No, but I trust you.'

Fair enough. 'What should I do?' She asked as she watched her sister throw away the now empty paper bag previously containing the muffin.

Alex leaned against the counter behind her and considered her question. 'You had fun, right?'

Kara nodded.

'And you want to see her again?'

Again, a nod.

'Then tell her that and see where it goes,' Alex answered truthfully.

'Tell her that and see where it goes,' Kara echoed as she let the words sink in.

'Exactly.'

'I don't have her number.'

Alex smirked. 'Ever heard of the internet? Just slide in her DMs.'

'She's going to think I'm some kind of pervy follower or stalker fan,' Kara exclaimed, looking mortified at the thought that the CEO might see her in that particular light.

'Oh, you're not?' The older Danvers sibling questioned, feigning surprise.

The blonde narrowed her eyes. 'Now you're just messing with me.'

Alex's face broke into a grin. 'What kind of sister would I be if I didn't tease you about your crush?'

'A nice one,' Kara retorted.

'Who just gave you the best advice in the world?' The DEO agent asked pointedly.

'You, but only because I fed you!'

'Because _you_ barged into my home and interrupted my morning,' Alex countered easily.

Kara huffed. Indestructible as she may be, it almost hurt to say the following words. 'Okay, fine. You're right. Thank you for your time and your wisdom.' Her voice dripped with sarcasm but Alex expertly ignored it and gave the Super a bright smile.

'You're welcome, sis. What are you going to do about this whole situation?'

'Like you said, I'm not going to rush things. I'll just keep it light and breezy and see where life takes us,' Kara replied casually - _too_ casually.

The older sibling chuckled in response. 'So, you'll be spending the whole day thinking about Lena and wondering if you should slide in her DMs or her mailbox,' she translated.

There was no use in denying it. 'Pretty much. Speaking of which, I should probably head to work,' the reporter noticed, her eyes drifting to the clock.

'Me too.'

Kara stood up from her seat, walked around the counter and hugged her sister. 'Thanks for always having my back.'

'Well, I did take an oath saying I would relieve others' suffering and impart my knowledge to the next generation,' Alex returned teasingly.

The blonde laughed. 'I'm not a patient, Alex.'

Her sister shushed her. 'As I recall, I'm the one with a medical degree here.'

'What's your specialty?'

'Romance and gay shit,' Alex answered without missing a beat. 'Now stop questioning my authority and get your ass to work so I can go to mine before you make us late and get us both fired.'

Following the kindly worded dismissal, Kara made her way to the tall building bearing the reputable company name, arriving even earlier than usual. Inexplicably, her boss was already in his office and despite her attempt to slip in unnoticed, Snapper Carr called out her name the moment she stepped off the elevator.

'Danvers!'

There goes her last stress free moment of the day. With her purse still on her shoulder, Kara went to the man's office, wondering how he had managed to come up with an undoubtedly objectionable task for her this early in the morning.

'Sir?' She said as she entered the small space.

'Do you read The Daily Planet?' Her boss asked with furrowed brows.

This sounded like a trick question. Apparently it was rhetorical as well since Snapper carried on without waiting for her response, or maybe the split second she took to come up with an answer had lasted a fraction too long.

'They published an article where Mr Kent interviewed several local startups on their entrepreneurial journey and it was a hit. Miss Grant wants to one-up them and publish a story that'll shock the masses. The interview has been arranged for 10 am tomorrow morning and you're up, Ponytail. Don't screw it up,' Snapper warned.

Her boss's boss was requesting the interview, no pressure. 'And don't think I forgot about your fluff piece, Danvers. I want it in my mailbox by noon today.'

Right, _that_. Kara nodded even though the editor-in-chief wasn't looking at her. 'Who's the interviewee?' As soon as the words left her mouth, she had a feeling she already knew the answer. It was the kind of predictability that emerged in certain situations as a singular point of clarity in the web of mysteries of the universe.

Two beady eyes landed on the reporter and Kara could've sworn she saw a hint of amusement in them. His tone expressing a lot less excitement than Kara was feeling in addition to the anticipatory nerves (in case she was right) and careful doubt (in case she wasn't), he replied, 'Lena Luthor.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! :)  
> Let me know what you think!!


	3. The interview

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Kara learns about Lena's "entrepreneurial journey" and they officially become friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fyi: the other DEO agents know Supergirl's identity.
> 
> Double update!  
> All mistakes are mine. Enjoy x

Apparently, all it took to make Kara's Kryptonian physiology break into a sweat was the thought of seeing Lena Luthor again. The blonde rode up the elevator to the CEO's office with clammy hands and adrenaline coursing through her veins. She took a deep breath and felt some of the nervous energy leave her body in the form of a slow exhale. Mercifully, the metal doors opened before she could come up with another hundred scenarios regarding their imminent reunion.

'Hi, I have an appointment with Miss Luthor?' Kara checked with the CEO's assistant. 'Kara Danvers, CatCo Worldwide Media.'

The young woman nodded. 'Miss Luthor will see you now.'

Kara gave her a tight lipped smile. 'Thank you.' She walked towards the open door and knocked on it as she poked her head inside. 'Miss Luthor?'

The CEO looked up and her face brightened at the sight of the familiar blonde. 'Miss Danvers, come in,' she invited as she stood up to greet the woman. 'And please, call me Lena,' she told her as they shook hands.

'Well, if I'm calling you Lena...' Kara started with a smile.

'Kara it is,' Lena finished. 'Have a seat. If you have a parking ticket, I can have it validated for you,' she offered.

'Oh no, that's fine. I flew here. On a bus,' Kara corrected. A brief silence filled the room and she quickly changed the subject. 'Thank you for having me, Lena,' she said before remembering something. 'Ra-, _God_. I told you at the gala that I wasn't looking for an exclusive, and here I am, asking for an exclusive.'

Lena took in the flushed cheeks and apologetic smile with curiosity. 'Don't worry about it,' she assured, waving off the concerned remark. 'To be honest, I can't say I'm surprised.'

Kara's heart sank and she steeled herself for the comment about how all media people were after the same thing: the next big scoop. However, it appeared that Lena didn't share her thoughts as she continued, 'after all, I did ask for you specifically.'

Kara blinked. 'You... did?'

Lena raised an amused eyebrow at the surprised look on the reporter's face. 'I take it Miss Grant didn't inform you?'

'No. No, she didn't,' the blonde replied and grinned. The fact that Lena wanted her there put her mind at ease.

The CEO chuckled awkwardly, slightly embarrassed. Requesting the presence of a woman she had met exactly once in her lifetime on the sole basis that she had been kind to her, was the definition of desperation - and loneliness - and surely not the best way to make a good second impression, or so she thought until Kara spoke again and said, 'I'm glad you did. I was hoping to see you again.'

Just like that, the tension in the room was gone and replaced by familiarity and ease. Lena smiled from her seat, acknowledging the other woman's sentiment and glanced at the notepad resting on her lap. 'Shall we begin?'

Kara snapped herself out of the thorough observation she had been doing of the young CEO and quickly replied, 'right, yes, the interview. Let's do that.' She fished out a small recording device and held it up for the other woman to see. 'Do you mind if I record our conversation? I wouldn't want to misquote you or miss anything you say.'

'No, go ahead,' Lena consented easily.

'Thanks,' the blonde returned gratefully as she placed the device on the desk and started the recording. She could feel the Luthor's green eyes following her every movement and when she looked up, she found Lena staring at her with the interest and patience the CEO of a Fortune 500 company probably couldn't afford to have if she wanted to get things done on time. Kara flipped through the pages of her notepad until she landed on the one containing the prepared questions. 'Alright, Lena. Are you ready?'

'Whenever you are,' Lena replied.

'I might ask some personal questions, but if there are some things you would rather not discuss, then don't hesitate to let me know,' Kara told her with a reassuring smile. When she received an understanding nod from the Luthor, her face a mixture of relief and gratefulness, Kara posed her first question. 'Can you tell me what your job is and what is it that you do here?' _Start off easy._

Lena smirked at the simple question. 'I'm the chief executive officer of L-Corp. That entails managing the company's overall operations and resources, making decisions about strategy and policy, and communicating corporate activities to the board of directors.'

'Sounds busy,' Kara commented.

The Luthor nodded. 'It is, a large part of my time is spent in meetings,' she admitted.

Seeing as they were currently in one, Kara didn't find that hard to believe. 'You have four degrees, most of them in various scientific fields and you're a notable scientist and engineer in your own right,' she mentioned. 'How did running a company fit into your younger self's plans?'

'It didn't,' Lena revealed with a soft chuckle. 'To be honest, I was thrilled when Lex took over Luthor Corp as it gave me more time to focus on my own projects. I didn't see the appeal of running a billion-dollar company like he did, but after his incarceration, it didn't matter what I thought. If I wanted the company to stay in the family, then I had to step up and fill his shoes. It wasn't the future I had envisioned for myself, but it has given me the opportunity to make a difference on a larger scale and try to fix the tarnished reputation of being a Luthor - if that's even possible.'

Kara gave her an encouraging smile - an assurance that she _would_ succeed eventually. 'Before we dive in deeper into the changes you're bringing about to L-Corp and the company's future, I'm curious to hear about how you got here.' It wasn't a question, but she still looked at the CEO to see if she was on board with the idea. Receiving an appreciative smile in response, the reporter carried on and landed on the topic of the engineer/scientist's previous projects before her business career had taken off.

The interview progressed easily as Kara fired question after question, unpacking Lena's answers and asking for elaboration unassumingly when the need for clarity presented itself. Lena had turned down a couple of questions when it got too personal, almost sounding apologetic about the fact, but Kara gave her a genuine smile and promised it was not a problem. If she was being honest, she was glad that the Luthor felt comfortable enough in her presence to let her know what her boundaries were.

Aside from the occasional metaphorical dead ends where she hit the walls of privacy and corporate confidentiality, Kara had enjoyed learning about the other woman's path to CEO of L-Corp. Hearing about her journey from her experimenting days in her garage to rebranding Luthor Corp after the deterioration of her brother's mental health and the company's reputation had been interesting, but the reporter had to admit that it was more than professional curiosity that kept her hanging on Lena's every word.

'Thank you for doing this,' Kara told the businesswoman as she packed her things.

'Cat can be very persuasive,' Lena offered as a reply.

The reporter chuckled. 'Or scary, depending on who you're asking.'

'She somehow manages to instil more fear in me than my insane, blood-lusting family,' the Luthor kidded lightly. The wounds were fresh and her brother's descent into madness filled her with pain and sadness whenever she thought about it, but she had noticed that making light of the situation or pretending that she had moved past it often defused the tension whenever the topic came up.

'I'm sorry,' Kara said politely. It felt too formal, as if she were following a script, and in a way, she guessed she was. By the blank look on Lena's face, she could tell her words had missed the mark. 'I'm sorry that you lost your brother,' she elaborated. Catching the slight change in the CEO's expression, she carried on. 'I know what it's like to be disillusioned by your family. It's hard and heartbreaking, but... they're still your family. The world only sees them as the bad guy, but you've seen them be good and loving. It's confusing, it makes you feel guilty for even believing that they can redeem themselves, but if you have happy memories with Lex, then hold onto them, Lena, even if he betrayed you or if you think you hate him. His actions have already affected your future, don't let him ruin your childhood.'

Lena studied the other woman with what she hoped was her best poker face. It seemed that Kara was making it a habit to surprise her when she least expected it. Her instincts were telling her to be cautious and keep her guard up, but Kara was looking at her with a soft smile on her lips and passion in her eyes, that Lena couldn't help but feel safe with her. 'You're the first person who hasn't told me to put as much distance as I can between my brother and me,' she remarked.

The blonde shrugged. 'I know it's not that easy to let go of family, no matter how bad they mess up.'

'Thank you, Kara,' the CEO spoke genuinely. 'It's a relief to hear that I'm not entirely crazy for not being able to cut my brother out of my life as everyone expects me to do. I haven't forgiven him and to be honest, I'm still processing all the damage he has caused, but I keep going back and wondering if there was something I could've done to help him get off of this destructive path.'

'You can't blame yourself for your brother's actions, Lena. I'd ask how you are, but...,' Kara trailed off.

Lena laughed quietly. 'Peachy.'

It was Kara's turn to chuckle. 'That's what I thought. If you ever need a friend, you know where to find me.'

A stunned look appeared on the Luthor's face at the F-word and while yes, they had only spoken on two (work-related) occasions, both women wanted to be friends, so there was nothing wrong with fast-tracking their friendship, right?

Lena hesitated. 'I'm-' _not looking for friends._ She stopped herself before the words could escape her mouth. Was she really going to push away the only person in the city who not only seemed genuinely interested to be her friend, but who also seemed to understand her better than her own friends did? 'The same goes for you,' she offered, earning her a bright grin from the reporter.

'I should probably let you get back to work,' Kara spoke up, realising she must be taking up more of the CEO's time than she should.

The businesswoman nodded - the company wasn't going to run itself. 'It was good to see you again.'

'We should do this again sometime. Not the interview, just hanging out together,' the blonde added when Lena arched an eyebrow at the suggestion.

Red lips twisted into a smirk. 'You _do_ still owe me a story.'

'I do?'

Lena cocked her head. 'About your family? Unless you don't feel like sharing it. I'm sure we can find another topic to discuss.'

Blue eyes widened as Kara remembered the promise she had made a few nights ago. 'No, I do! How about lunch tomorrow?'

The Luthor made a face and Kara wondered if they were moving too fast. 'Or another time when you haven't hit your weekly limit of Kara yet?' She quickly added, joking but not really.

It amazed Lena how the blonde could go from a wise guru who had seemingly lived one hundred past lives to an awkward, flustered mess with too many words tumbling out of her mouth than she knew what to do with in a single conversation. She was curious to know what else was hidden under the surface of the reporter, but judging by the openness and compassion Kara had shown her until then, she had a feeling life hadn't been as kind to Kara as the blonde had been to her. 'It's not that,' she promised certainly. 'I'm not even sure such a limit exists,' she informed casually and Kara didn't know what to do with that information. Fortunately, Lena resumed her explanation without waiting for a response. 'I have a board meeting tomorrow afternoon and I'm afraid I'll be too tense at lunch to be good company. I'm sorry, rain check?'

Kara pushed her glasses up and nodded. 'Of course, I understand,' she assured, a smile on her lips proving her point. Unsure of how long the delay was supposed to last, she decided to let the Luthor pick out a date.

'How about Monday?'

Kara hadn't expected the proposal to come so soon. She had thought they would part ways with the promise of texting or mailing each other - depending on the contact information they exchanged - and end up meeting up for that lunch a couple of weeks from then, the same way a 'rain check' usually happened with her other friends. Needless to say, three days of waiting was far more doable than three weeks and counting, and Kara found herself grinning at the prospect of seeing the green eyed woman again in such a short amount of time, as friends. 'Monday's great.'

'Do you know any good lunch spots in the city?' Lena inquired with the unfamiliarity of someone who had just moved to town.

'Noonan's,' the blonde answered automatically.

The CEO smirked at the fast reply. 'Noonan's it is. Does 12:30 work for you?'

Kara nodded as she stood up. 'I'll see you on Monday.'

Lena smiled and reached for one of the business cards on her desk. She slid it across the surface and said, 'text me if something comes up.'

The blonde fished her phone out of her purse and typed in the number before slipping it back into the bag. A mischievous grin appeared on her face and the Lena raised an eyebrow as her own phone buzzed on her desk.

**unknown number:** _Hey :) - Kara (Danvers)_

Piercing green eyes landed on the reporter. 'Hey,' the CEO returned amusedly.

'Now, you have my number,' Kara told her, her voice teasing. 'You know, in case something comes up.'

Lena laughed at the remark. 'Thanks. I'll be sure to text you if the situation calls for it.'

'Same here,' the reporter concurred.

Lena got up from her seat and accompanied the other woman to the exit. She pulled the door open and leaned against it as she faced her friend. 'Have a nice weekend,' she told her, meaning the words for once instead of saying it as a ritual parting statement.

'You too, and good luck with your meeting tomorrow,' Kara wished her.

Lena put her hand out and Kara shook it without hesitation, her grip firm, yet soft. 'Thank you, Kara. I'll be keeping an eye out for your article,' she warned playfully.

The blonde beamed. 'I'm glad to hear that, although that won't change what I write in it,' she teased, fully aware that that was the last thing the Luthor had been trying to achieve with her statement.

'Of course,' Lena answered soberly. 'And listen, Lex has hurt a lot of people, there's no denying the pain he has caused. I know you're not publishing an exposé on him, but I do mention him a couple of times and we _are_ both Luthors. If you're going to write about him, then don't hold back. The world deserves to know what he has done.'

It wasn't hard to read between the lines: Lex had hurt _her_ and she deserved to know why. Kara could hear the anger in Lena's body; the clench of jaw, the increased heart rate, the almost imperceptible tremble in her voice, and as much as she wanted to comfort the other woman, Kara knew she didn't have the answers Lena needed right now. Instead she simply said, 'I'll write the truth' - her own way of disagreeing with Lena's assumption that Luthors came in pairs. Kara was going to prove to the businesswoman that it was perfectly possible to talk about the CEO of L-Corp / certified genius / philanthropist Lena Luthor without taking a detour into Lex's crimes against humanity by doing exactly that and publishing it in a world-renowned magazine.

Lena smiled, unaware of the mission planning happening inside of Kara's head. 'I know you will.'

*

The next day at the DEO

'Where is Lex Luthor being held?'

Alex turned to Supergirl with a raised eyebrow. The conversation had barely begun and she already had a bad feeling about where it was heading. 'Depends on why you're asking.'

'I'm asking for a friend,' the Kryptonian answered seriously.

The DEO agent snorted at her sister's attempted usage of slang phrases. 'Right. Well, that's definitely not a good enough reason for me to tell you,' she pointed out.

Kara pouted. 'Please?'

Alex leaned against the round table standing at the centre of the DEO's headquarters and crossed her arms. 'What are you planning on doing?'

The blonde shrugged. 'Nothing,' she answered. At the suspicious look her sister threw her way, Kara raised her hands defensively. 'I'm not planning anything,' she swore. 'I was just wondering, you know, in the event that I wanted to talk to him.'

The frown on the DEO agent's face remained ever-present. 'Why would you want to talk to him? Is this about Lena?'

It was at times like this that Kara really wished her sister didn't have the master deduction skills she did. 'It's nothing,' she repeated. 'Lex came up during our conversation and I remember when I found out about my parents, I had a lot of questions for them that I couldn't ask. It's none of my business, I know,' she added, correctly anticipating Alex's reaction. 'Like I said, I'm not planning anything. I was just curious.'

'You can't assume that Lena's grieving process is the same as yours,' Alex told her wisely. 'She probably knows where her brother is and when she's ready to face him, she will. I could tell you where he is if you really want to know, but I'm not sure that knowledge will give you any peace.'

The Super considered her words and shook her head. 'It won't.'

Alex studied the blonde curiously. 'Sounds like you're serious about her,' she commented lightly.

Kara's features morphed into a frown, unsure where the statement was coming from.

'You're considering talking to the man who almost killed your cousin - and would probably like to kill you too - in order to give Lena some closure,' the DEO agent clarified.

'It was just an idea,' Kara pointed out - a crazy one when her sister put it like that, but she hadn't been thinking of actually _going_ there and demanding answers. 'And when it comes to Lena-,' she faltered and thought about her next words. 'I'm all in,' she finally said. 'I'm not going to half-ass this. Whatever this ends up being, a friendship or a relationship, I know it's worth exploring.'

Alex smiled understandingly. 'You were always an all-or-nothing kind of person,' she remarked. 'So, no more "light and breezy" and "seeing where life takes you"?' She asked teasingly.

Kara grinned at the playful jab. 'Not if I can help it, although I have a feeling that won't be a problem.'

The older sibling raised an eyebrow. 'What does that mean?'

'We're having lunch on Monday,' the Super divulged excitedly.

'You have a date and you didn't tell me?!'

'Keep your voice down,' she exclaimed, even though they had been talking in hushed tones. 'And it's not a date. Just a friendly lunch.'

'Oh, so I shouldn't be expecting a distress call from you on Monday about which colour to wear?' Alex checked, a knowing smirk on her face.

'Don't be ridiculous. Of course I'll be calling you.'

'Blue,' she supplied. 'When in doubt, always go with blue, Kara.'

Kara nodded seriously. 'Blue, got it.'

'Does this mean I'm exempted from your wake up call on Monday?' Alex wondered hopefully.

'Fine,' the blonde agreed reluctantly.

'Great. I'll swing by your place in the evening and you can tell me all about your non-date date,' the DEO agent decided.

Kara smiled at her sister. 'Thanks, Alex. What would I do without you?'

Alex smirked. 'Crash and burn, probably,' she teased.

'Hey, I'm not that bad,' Kara protested indignantly.

The agent laughed. 'You're not,' she assured. 'You've come a long way since your days of ripping car doors off their hinges. I'm proud of you, sis.'

'That happened _once,_ ' Kara argued before an alarm went off on one of the computers and interrupted their conversation. The sisters turned their attention to the tech nerd who was clicking away in an attempt to find the source of the threat. 'Winn?'

With a triumphant 'aha', Winn turned in his chair to face the Danvers sisters. 'There's an Infernian on the loose at the pier.'

Kara glanced at her sister. 'Are you ready to kick some butt?'

Alex nodded. 'I was born ready.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading folks! :)  
> Let me know what you think in the comments/kudos!


	4. Supergirl saves the day (and Kara saves Lena)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Super Friends hit Gossip Town and Lena meets Supergirl.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> um, care for a lil angst and some fluff?  
> All mistakes are mine. Enjoy x

Monday couldn't come fast enough and when it did, it went by too quickly - in particular the time slot between 12:30 and 1:30 pm. Kara enjoyed her job at CatCo, yet despite the fact that Lena and she had parted ways with the promise of seeing each other on Thursday to celebrate the publication of her article, returning to her office had required more effort than usual.

Family, work and boybands were discussed in the span of one hour and the switch from serious to more trivial topics had happened with surprising ease. Still, if they had been given two extra hours, Kara knew they would have been able to fill the time without difficulty.

When her lunch break drew to a close, the reporter walked the short distance back to CatCo, indescribably pleased when Lena fell into step beside her without hesitation, apparently also unwilling to end their conversation just yet. Goodbyes were said at the entrance of the building and Kara wrapped her arms around the CEO for the second time that day. While their first hug had been tentative and almost shy, Kara noticed that Lena was reciprocating the embrace and tightened her hold on her. She grinned even though the other woman couldn't see her face and pulled away.

'I'll see you on Thursday,' Lena told her, her green eyes sparkling with excitement.

'I can't wait.'

*

'You're glowing.' 

Supergirl turned her head to the source of the playful accusation and found her sister smirking at her.

'You're not pregnant, are you?' Alex asked with concern before snickering at her own joke.

'You're hilarious,' Kara deadpanned.

Sensing the juicy talk happening behind him, Winn turned around and rolled his chair to the round table. 'Are we talking about _somebody's_ mysterious lover?' He inquired excitedly and that was how 'monitoring alien presence' turned into 'discussing Supergirl's love life'.

'There is no lover,' Kara informed, hoping that would be enough to get the DEO agents off her back, although if she was being honest, she didn't mind talking about Lena at all.

'Yet,' Alex added helpfully.

The Super's cheeks heated up. 'Alex,' she groaned embarrassedly, the smile on her face indicating that she wasn't upset.

'You're blushing,' Winn noticed with wide eyes. 'So it's true. You do have a crush on someone!'

'Don't worry, you'll meet her soon enough, Winn,' the older Danvers sister told him.

Kara nodded. 'We're going out for drinks on Thursday to celebrate my article coming out. You're more than welcome to join us. Alex has already RSVP'ed.' She conveniently left out the part where she and Lena were going to grab dinner together _alone_ before meeting her friends at the bar.

The tech nerd hesitated. He was over his infatuation with his Kryptonian friend, but meeting his former crush's crush while drinking alcohol sounded like a recipe for awkwardness. 'Are you sure?'

Surprisingly, Kara's smile only widened. 'Yes. She's the one who suggested you come,' she said, remembering the tentative invitation Lena had extended to her friends because surely she wouldn't be the only one wanting to celebrate her reportorial achievement. 'I'd really love for you to meet her,' she told him honestly.

'And James?'

'He has a deadline on Friday, but he's going to try to make it,' she answered.

Winn considered her words before he broke out into a grin. 'Count me in. Who is this lady anyway?'

Kara bit her lip as her mind wandered to green eyes and red lips. 'It's a surprise.'

'You're going to love her,' Alex said with a chuckle. Considering Lena's last name, Kara knew her friends were going to have some kind of conditioned response to the Luthor name after all these years, especially since both Winn and James were close to Superman - either as a fan or a friend. However, once the initial surprise wore off, she had no doubt that Winn and Lena would get along like a house on fire.

Hands on her hips, she gave the two DEO agents a stern look. 'You better be on your best behaviour,' she warned. 'I'm not above sending you both into space in my pod if you somehow ruin this for me.'

Winn saluted the Super with a 'yes, ma'am,' receiving the message loud and clear.

'We'll be the best wing people you could've asked for,' Alex promised and her words did nothing to calm the nerves in Kara's stomach. In fact, they seemed to have the opposite effect and the blonde briefly wondered if she could get away with pretending to be sick on Thursday and cancelling their get-together without skipping out on her dinner with Lena.

'That doesn't make me feel better,' Kara confessed. 

The DEO agent grinned. 'I never said it would.'

That was definitely not reassuring. The Kryptonian glared at her sister, but judging by the amused smirk on Alex's face, her intimidation tactic wasn't working as well as she had hoped. 'Remember.' She pointed to the other woman, then mimicked the trajectory of a spaceship taking off, whistling to add some sound effects.

Alex rolled her eyes. 'I know, I know. Me, your pod, into space,' she deciphered easily.

'And don't you forget it.'

* *  
Thursday was nothing like Kara or Lena had expected. It started out like any other day; Kara was preparing herself for the publication of her first big story while simultaneously working on her next article, Supergirl was zipping across the sky, saving people and pets alike, and Lena was in and out of meetings, head buried in paperwork as she tried not to let her thoughts wander to her evening plans.

It was nearing 7 pm when it happened, right after Kara had sent the CEO a text saying she was on her way up to her office. Lena called it karma for being happy while thousands of innocent people were still reeling from the losses they had suffered at Lex's hands. Kara called it an inconvenient coincidence and Supergirl called it dumb luck. Either way, it was nothing good.

Lens heard, saw and then heard the danger again. First, the alarm system went off with an ear-splitting shriek, then the live feed of her security cameras showed two bulky men storming the building, and finally, her blood ran cold as her ears picked up on the commotion outside her office doors.

Before fear could freeze her body, Lena mentally went through the emergency procedures and grabbed the taser she kept in her purse for occasions like this. Her green eyes landed on the balcony - her only other exit aside from the usual entrance - and after a contemplative second, she shook her head. Weapon in hand, she faced the door, ready to fight the intruders with the basic self-defence skills she had. She took a deep breath as she tried to focus on the moment and the reality of the situation suddenly crashed into her like a tidal wave. Kara had been on her way to see her. _Kara was in the building._

Frantically reaching for phone, Lena felt her heart race at the thought of something happening to her friend.

 **Kara** ☀️ **:** _Lena?_  
**Kara** ☀️ **:** _Something fishy's going on..._  
**Kara** ☀️ - Missed Call (2)  
**Kara** ☀️ **:** _Are you in your office?_  
**Kara** ☀️ **:** _I'm safe but please please be careful !!!!_

Lena barely had time to bask in the relief that washed over her before the doors were blasted open. As the two men barged into the room, the CEO dropped her phone and put her game face on.

'Gentlemen,' she greeted coldly.

'Come with us willingly and we won't hurt you,' one of the men suggested.

'Not a chance.'

'Suit yourself,' he said before charging towards her. Lena managed to dodge his first punches and use his own force against him, but her winning streak lasted only for a moment. Too soon a hand landed on her wrist, twisting it behind her back and making her release her hold on the taser. While one of the intruders held her back, the other approached her with an impressive and probably alien-made gun in his hand and a predatory grin on his lips. He gripped her chin and Lena visibly flinched at the unwanted contact.

'Careful,' the voice behind her warned. 'We need to bring her back alive.'

'Don't I know it,' the man answered, sounding positively disappointed.

'Who sent you?' She demanded.

The intruder smirked. 'You'll see.'

'Where are you taking me?'

He rolled his eyes at her interrogation. 'Project Cadmus,' he replied as he nodded to his partner. 'Let's go before the cops get here, or worse, Superg-'

A voice interrupted his sentence. 'Did someone say my name?'

He quickly turned around to face their newest guest but his reflexes couldn't compare to the Kryptonian's. Supergirl supersped into the office, her cape flapping behind her as she threw the man across the room. Lena used the distraction to painfully crush her captor's foot with her high heel and elbow him in the face when he leaned forward. His head shot backwards at the impact and Lena managed to slip out of his grip. She turned around to deliver another blow, but his hands were back on her arms. He shoved her to the side, making her lose her balance and hit her head on the edge of the white cabinet on her way down. She heard someone call out her name before the world faded to black.

_'Lena?'_

The voice was distant, familiar and it was pulling the Luthor back to the conscious world. She blinked tiredly before her green eyes shot open in response to the splitting headache. She took in the blonde hair, the red and blue suit and the iconic emblem. 'Supergirl.'

'Miss Luthor.'

The smirk that appeared on Lena's face was mediocre at best, but considering what she had just gone through, she could be forgiven. 'Am I supposed to act like I didn't hear you say my name _twice_ in my semi-conscious haze?'

When she looked up, she was greeted by the rare sight of a Super blushing. 'I didn't want to cross any lines.'

'You saved my life, Supergirl. You can call me whatever you want,' Lena told her and it wasn't until _after_ the words had left her mouth that she realised how suggestive they sounded. Sure enough, the colour in the Kryptonian's cheeks deepened. As much fun as it was to watch Supergirl become flustered and uncharacteristically human, Lena had something else on her mind - or more precisely, some _one_ else. 'Kara?'

'Yes?' It took the blonde a minute to realise that Lena was talking _about_ her and not _to_ her. She cleared her throat and followed up with, 'she's okay, incredibly worried about you, but she's okay. How are _you_ , Lena?'

'My head is killing me, but other than that, I'm fine,' the Luthor dismissed. 'How long was I out?'

'Less than a minute.'

She shouldn't be surprised that Supergirl had managed to take down both men on her own in less than a minute, but she was. Instead of voicing her awe and her mild girl crush, she said, 'then I'm good to go.' She made a move to sit up from her position on the ground, but the second she put some pressure on her right hand, a pained cry left her lips. Supergirl rushed to her side before she could face-plant on the floor.

'You're definitely not good to go,' the superhero remarked. 'Does it hurt anywhere else?'

'Just my head and my wrist,' Lena informed truthfully. A moment of silence passed between them and the businesswoman wondered what was going through the Super's head. While the blonde was proving to be a warm and soft pillar to lean against, their position wasn't nearly comfortable enough for them to stay in any longer than necessary. 'Supergirl?'

'I'll fly us down if you're up for it,' Supergirl offered. 'Is it safe to move you?'

'Yes and yes.' Sensing the Kryptonian's hesitation, Lena explained, 'I only passed out for a couple of seconds. Even if I am concussed, it will probably be mild and nothing to worry about. Besides, sitting on this hard ground isn't doing much to alleviate the pain.'

The Super smiled, catching the teasing tail end of her reply. 'In that case,' she started as she faced the other woman and gently scooped her up in her arms. She flew to her feet and looked at Lena. 'We're ready for takeoff.'

'Thank you for coming to my rescue, Supergirl. Your timing was impeccable,' the CEO noted as strong arms carried her to the balcony. 'How did you know to come?'

'Uh. Kara called me,' the blonde lied.

Lena frowned. 'Kara called you?' She repeated slowly. 'You're... friends?' She didn't understand why the words tasted so bitter on her tongue.

'We are,' Supergirl confirmed before quickly moving on to another topic. 'Hold on tight, it might get a bit windy.'

As soon as her boots touched the ground, Alex was there to help. Once Lena was seated in the back of the DEO's medical van, Supergirl excused herself with the explanation that she was going to do a perimeter check. While this was usually her cue to slip away and come back as Kara Danvers, this time she wanted to make sure there was no threat to Lena's safety lingering around. Once she was certain that the raven haired woman was safe, Kara switched to her civilian clothes and practically ran to her friend.

Lena's face brightened at the sight of the approaching figure, and while the thought of Kara bulldozing her with her affection usually wouldn't be a problem, she wasn't sure if her injuries could handle a bear hug tonight. Fortunately, it seemed like Kara had read her mind because the embrace she got caught in was delicate and warm. After putting the icepacks to the side, her arm curled around the reporter's body, her bandaged wrist joining the other behind her back, and her head rested against Kara's chest. 'Kara,' she sighed. 'I was so worried about you.' Her voice was muffled by the blonde's shirt and Lena wasn't sure if the other woman had even heard her. The gentle squeeze let her know that she had. Lena knew she should be scared by how attached she had grown to the blonde, but at that moment the fear of losing Kara was all she could think about.

Kara's arms felt like the safest place in the world and Lena didn't want the hug to end, but eventually, she felt the reporter pull away. She watched as the other woman faced the agent who had treated her, standing a few feet away to give them some privacy. 'Alex,' Kara called out and the Luthor frowned at the familiarity with which she had said her name.

'Hey, Kara. Miss Luthor, how are you feeling?' Alex greeted friendlily.

Lena shrugged, or tried to while having a blonde reporter attached to her shoulder. 'The same as I did when you asked me five minutes ago.'

Instead of looking annoyed, the agent appeared to be amused by her reply. 'Fair enough. I'd like to discuss your health and your recovery before I send you home, but if you would rather do this in private, I can ask Kara to leave.'

Realising she was intruding in a personal conversation, Kara carefully detached herself from her friend until a hand stopped her. 'No, she can stay.'

Too busy giving the agent a firm look as if daring her to challenge her decision, Lena missed the soft smile on Kara's face at the show of trust.

Alex nodded. 'First things first. You should definitely ice your injuries,' she said, pointedly eyeing the discarded icepacks. Both Lena and Kara gave her a sheepish smile before the CEO put the ice back on her wrist and Kara took care of her head. Alex went on about resting and having someone by her side during the first 24 hours, and which medications to take if the pain became insufferable, but Lena was only half-listening to her advice. She was aware that she should probably pay attention, but her mind was already focussed on something else. She couldn't get past the way the two women seemed so familiar with each other and as she combed through her ever-growing knowledge of Kara Danvers, it finally clicked.

'You're Kara's sister,' she realised, interrupting whatever conversation had been going on. Her frown deepened as the cogs restarted to turn in her head. Kara's sister was an FBI agent, but what was the Federal Bureau of Investigation doing here? Her eyes flickered around the scene, noticing the distinct lack of the three-letter word written in bold on the back of the agents' jackets. She watched as a pair of agents handled the alien weapon with care before loading it up in one of their black cars. 'You're DEO,' she recognised with slight disbelief.

The serious look on Alex's face turned to amusement once more. 'Like I said, your brain is still intact. You just need to rest. How did you figure it out?'

'Lex told me about a black ops anti-alien strike team. I didn't think it was real,' the Luthor trailed off.

'We're not anti-alien,' the DEO agent corrected before admitting, 'anymore.'

'That explains why Supergirl's working with you,' Lena noted.

'Do you have any questions?'

Lena had plenty of questions and if she hadn't just been attacked in her own office, suffered a concussion and sprained her wrist, she would've probably asked them. Instead, she wondered, 'when I can go home?'

Alex smiled sympathetically. 'You can go now. Did you hear what I said about having someone around for the first 12 to 24 hours to pick up on any changes in your recovery?'

'I did.'

'Miss Luthor,' she tried again. 'I'm not saying these things to annoy you. You just suffered a trauma and your body needs time to heal, preferably in the company of an adult who would be able to notice if anything isn't going according to plan.'

Lena sighed. 'I know. I'll call a friend,' she promised.

The DEO agent crossed her arms and arched an eyebrow, detecting the lie from a mile away. 'Who is this friend you're going to call?'

The Luthor cleared her throat uncomfortably. 'Alexa.'

' _Amazon_ Alexa?'

'She's a good friend,' Lena protested weakly. 'And she's smart.'

'She's a voice assistant,' Alex pointed out. Huffing, she turned to her sister. 'Kara, can you convince your friend to take care of herself this one time because she _has a concussion_?'

Kara nodded with determination shining in her blue eyes and Lena knew she had already lost this fight. 'Great, thanks. I need to head back, but I'll call you later,' Alex told her. She hugged her sister and nodded to the CEO. 'If you need me for anything, Kara has my number. Take care, Miss Luthor.'

'Thank you, Agent Danvers.' Lena's gaze fell on the reporter as she waited for her bleeding heart speech about how she should let herself be taken care of from time to time, but it never came.

'We should get you home,' was the first thing Kara said to her once her sister had left. 'Do you mind if we stop by my apartment first? I don't feel comfortable leaving you alone.'

Lena raised an eyebrow in confusion.

'So I can grab some clothes and other stuff for our sleepover?' The blonde elaborated.

The plan still remained unclear to the CEO.

'Because Alex just said that you shouldn't be alone-, Lena, are you sure you're okay?' Kara asked with concern.

Kara wasn't even going to try to convince her to call somebody because she had already decided that she was going to be the one keeping her company. Lena chuckled softly. 'I'm more than okay.'

'Then,' the blonde paused. 'Is it-, is there someone else you'd rather have staying with you?'

'There's no else,' the Luthor assured easily. 'I'm just really glad we met.'

Kara beamed. 'Me too.'

'But,' Lena emphasised. 'We're staying at your place.' When her friend tried to protest, she quickly added, 'I'm already taking your time, I refuse to take you away from the comfort of your own home.'

Knowing it was useless to argue against the CEO, Kara huffed and said, 'fine, but you're sleeping in my bed.'

One raised eyebrow from the raven haired woman made her rethink her choice of words. 'I'll sleep on the couch,' she clarified hastily. 'You need to rest.'

Either Kara had made a very compelling argument or Lena was too tired to fight back, because the Luthor only gave a small nod in response. Feeling like it was the latter, the reporter held her hand out and helped the woman to her feet. 'Do you want to stop by your place to grab some things?'

Lena shook her head in the negative. 'If you've got a spare toothbrush and clothes I can wear, then we can just head to your apartment.'

Kara nodded as she led them to the front of the vehicle. She knocked on the window and watched it slide down before asking, 'do you mind dropping us off?'

The agent smiled and nodded towards the passenger seat. 'Not at all. Hop on, ladies.'

'Thanks, Vasquez.'

*

'Are you comfortable or would you like a sweater?'

Lena looked up to the blonde from her seat on the couch and then down to her clothing. The sweatpants and oversized T-shirt covering her body belonged to Kara and so did the throw blanket she had found on the furniture. She pulled the cloth closer and smiled. 'I'm comfortable.'

Kara drank the sight in of a soft Lena before she joined her friend. The pair stared at each other in silence, a hurricane of emotions in their chests and their hearts at the centre of it all. It was Lena who broke the quiet, her voice low as if not to disturb the tranquility in the room. 'Thank you. For everything. For calling Supergirl.'

Kara smiled tenderly. 'Well, that's what friends are for.'

The Luthor shook her head. 'I've never had friends like you before. Come to think of it, I've never had family like you.' She paused, the ghost of a grin on her lips before she said, 'Supergirl may have saved me, but, Kara Danvers, you are my hero.'

A faint blush appeared on the reporter's cheeks and she scooted closer to wrap her arm around Lena's shoulder. The CEO melted into her touch and waited patiently as Kara searched for the right words to express her thoughts. 'You matter.'

Whatever Lena had expected to come out of the other woman's mouth, this wasn't it. With two words, Kara had strapped her mind to a racehorse and sent it running.

'You matter to me,' the blonde continued, unaware of the disturbance she had caused in Lena's inner world. 'Maybe you don't know because no one's ever told you before, but you do and now you have someone that will remind you. I'm here for you, Lena, always.' A moment of silence followed, cut short by Kara's further musings. 'No matter how strong or tough you think you need to be, you're still a human being, Lena, and I really, really care about you.'

Kara was slightly alarmed to feel her shirt dampening until she realised where the wetness was originating from.

'I'm sorry,' Lena apologised with a sniffle. Crying was the last thing she had wanted to do that night, but the exhaustion of the day combined with the emotion in Kara's speech had proven to be the perfect storm.

'Don't be.'

They stayed in that position for a couple of minutes, Lena's head on Kara's shoulder with an icepack acting as a cushion between her head and the back of the couch, and Kara's arm around her shoulder, her uninjured hand holding on to the blonde's - that is, until she tried and failed to stifle a yawn.

'You should get some sleep,' Kara murmured. She gently extracted herself from her friend and stood up, unwilling to keep the Luthor awake longer than necessary. Lena followed suit and the pair walked the short distance to her bedroom. The blonde watched the Luthor climb into her bed, almost falling asleep the second her head hit her pillow. 'I'll wake you up every two hours,' she told her, adding a sheepish 'doctor's orders' when Lena stared at her. 'I'm right here if you need anything.'

'Thanks. Good night, Kara,' Lena wished tiredly.

'Good night, Lena.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading :)  
> Comments and kudos are always welcome :) 
> 
> I'm on Tumblr if you want to yell at me to update sooner or if you just want to say hi: @luversd

**Author's Note:**

> As always, thanks for reading!  
> Let me know what you think by leaving a comment or kudos!


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